Safety lock for railway switches



Aug. 18, 1925. ca. w. SMITH (SAFETY LOOK FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES 'Fil ed Dec. 1, 1924 2 Sheets-Shut {1 Aug. 18, 1-925. 1,550,117

' I G. W. SMITH SQFETY LOCK FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES 2 Shah-Shut 2 Witness attain:

Patented Aug. 18, 1925.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. SMITH, OF TRENTON, MISSOURI.

SAFETY LOCK FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES.

Application filed December 1, 1924. Serial No. 753,189.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE TV. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Grundy and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Locks for Railway Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety locks for railway switches and my object is to provide relatively simple and inexpensive mechanism of this character whereby the switch points are reliably secured in either the main line, or branch line position until manually released.

A further object of the invention is to prevent the toes of the switch points from springing upwardly out of position and thereby becoming exposed to serious damage by contact of the wheels of the rolling stock.

Other objects will hereinafter appear, and in order that the invention may be fully understood reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken plan view of a switch equipped with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of one of a pair of housings, showing a bolt slidably mounted therein.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of a case with a plunger mounted therein.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on line VV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken section on line VI of F ig; 2.

Referring now in detail to the various parts, A and B designate the switch points which are cooperatively arranged with fixed main and branch line rails C and D, respcctively, secured upon the usual cross ties E and E.

F designates a connecting bar extending and B and the rails C and D, and connected at one end to the crank shaft G of a switch stand H by a connecting rod I. The connecting bar F is provided with fixedly mounted straps I and J secured to plates K and L, which in turn are secured to the switch points A and B, respectively, to throw the same to either the main line, or branch line position when the manually controlled switch lever M is operated accordingly. All of the foregoing parts may be of any usual or preferred construction, the present invention residing more particularly in the mechanism for reliably securing the switch points A and B in either position against accidental movement.

Referring now in detail to said mechanism, 2 and 4 designate reversely disposed housings having removable top plates 1 and 3 firmly secured to the undersides of the fixed rails C and D by clips 5 and 7, respectively. The housings 2 and 4 are provided with reversely disposed slidable bolts 6 and 8 having upturned ends 10 and 12 secured to the plates K and L, by suitable means such as nuts 14 and 16, respectively.

The bolts 6 and 8 each have two spaced recesses 18 and 20 for alternate reception of a lip 22 formed integral or otherwise secured to the respective housings 2 and 4, said recessed portions being pressed downwardly into engagement with the lips 22 as they register therewith, by springs 24 arranged within the housings 2 and 4.

26 and 28 designate releasing devices for raising the recessed portions of the bolts 6 and 8 out of engagement with the lips 22 against the action of the respective springs 24, so that the switch points A and B may be thrown to either the main line, or branch line position. The releasing devices 26 and 28 are mounted on pivots 30 and 32 carried by the bifurcated ends of lugs 34 and 36, projecting from the adjacent corners of the housings 2 and 4, respectively.

The releasing devices 26 and 28 are pivotally connected to clamps 38 and 40, respectively, gripping a rod 42 extending transversely beneath the switch points A and B and the rails C and D, and connected by a clamp 44 to a bell-crank 46, Figs. 2 and 4. Thebell-crank 46 is mounted on a fulcrum 48 and operably connected to the lower end of a plunger 50, which is provided at its upper end with a pedal 52.

The plunger 50 and the pedal 52 are reciproc'ably mounted in a case 54 and norma ly held in raised position by a coil spring 56 interposed between the lower portion of the pedal 52 and a shoulder 53 in aid case The case 54 is provided at its lower end with a bifurcated lug 58 in which the fulcrum A8 is mounted, and said case is provided at its upper end with a laterally extending flange 60, which is bolted or otherwise secured to one of the long cross ties E, carrying the switch stand H.

With the parts arranged as shown and described it is apparent that when the switch points A and B are in the main line position disclosed by Figs. 1 and 2, they will be reliably held in such position by the bolts 0 and 8 and the respective lips and the switch lever M can not be operated to throw said switch points until the pedal 52 is depressed. On depression of the pedal 52 the rod s2 is drawn to the left, Fig. 2, and rocks the releasing devices 26 and 28, which lift the recessed portions 18 of the bolts 6 and 8 out of engagement with the lips 22 against the action of the respective springs 2-}. The switch points A and B may now be thrown from the main line to tne branch line position through the intermediacy of the lever l1 and the intervening parts. As the switch points A and ii reach the branch line position, they are automatically locked in such position by the recessed portions 20 of the bolts 6 and 8 being pressed into engagement with the lips 22 by the respective springs 24, and can not be shifted back to the main line position until the pedal 52 is again depressed. As shown by Figs. 1 and 2, the pedal 52 is arranged close to the switch stand H, so that the switchman may readily place one foot upon said pedal 52 while throwing the lever M to either position.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the switch points A and B are reliably held in either the main line, or branch line position by the bolts 6 and 8 and that the toes P and Q of said switch points A and B will be pr vented from springing upwardly above the level of the rails C and D by their connection with said bolts 6 and 8 through the intermediacy of the plates K and L, respectively.

While I have shown and described the preferred construction, combination and arrangement of parts, I reserve the right to make such changes as properly fall within the spirit and scope oi the invention as claimed. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. in combination with a railway switch, a bolt connected to the switch points to be moved therewith and secure the same in either the main line or branch line position,

a stationary housing in which said bolt is operably mounted, coengaging means on said bolt and said housing for securing said bolt in fixed position when the switch points are in either the main line or branch line position, and means for releasing the bolt to allow throwing of the switch points to either of said positions.

2'. In a safety lock for railway switches, a bolt having spaced recesses and connected to the switch points to secure the same in either the main line or branch line position, a stationary housing in which said bolt is operably mounted, a lip on said housing for coengaging the recessed portions of the bolt to secure the same in fixed position when the switch points are in either the main line or branch line position, spring means for causing coengagement of the lip and the recessed portions of the bolt, and means for releasing the bolt from the lip to allow throwing of the switch points to either of said positions.

In a safety lock for railway switches, a member connected to the switch points to secure the same in either the main or the branch line position, coengaging elements whereby said member is automatically secured in fixed position when the switch points are either in the main line or branch lineposition, a pivoted device for releasing said member to allow throwing of the switch points to either of said positions, a rod connected to said pivoted device, and manually controlled means for actuating said rod.

4. In a safety look for railway switches, a member connected to the switch points to secure the same in either the main or the branch line position, coengaging elements whereby said member is automatically secured in fixed position when the switch points are either in the main line or branch line position, a pivoted device for releasing said member to allow throwing of the switch points to either of said positions, a rod con nected to said pivoted device, a bell crank connected to said rod, a plunger connected to said bell-crank, a pedal t'or depressing said plunger, spring means for raising said plunger, and a case inwhich the plunger is operably mounted.

5. In a safety lock for railway switches, bolts connected to the switehpoints to secure the same in either the main line or branch line position, stationary housings fixed to and extending beneath the main rails and in which said bolts are operably mounted, coengaging means on said bolts and said housings for securing said bolts in fixed position when the switch points are in either the main line or branch line position, and manually-controlled means for releasing the bolts to allow throwing of the switch points to either of said positions.

6. A safety lock for railway switches consisting of housings secured to the main rails,

a pair of connected bolts mounted in said switch points to be shifted to the main line housings and connected to and movable with or branch line position, a rod connecting the switch points, coengaging means on the said releasing devices, and means for actuat- 1 housings and the bolts which enable the ing said rod.

5 latter to lock the switch points in either the In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

main line or branch line position, pivoted devices for releasing said bolts to allow the GEORGE W. SMITH. 

